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[platform-swt-dev] System-provided icon services
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Greetings!
While writing our own software we have experimented with SWT's ability
to fetch a document icon for a given file on the linux-gtk, mac-carbon
and win32 variants of SWT 3.0.2. For example, when methods in
Program.java are supplied with a file whose extension is "xls" and the
host OS has Microsoft Excel installed, we wish to receive the Excel
spreadsheet document icon as registered on the host OS.
Concerning Program.java, we found that only the win32 variant reflects
the host OS' notion of the document type icon. mac-carbon returns a
hardcoded bitmap images. linux-gtk returns no useful data (refer to
Bugzilla Bug 79268).
However, we have an immediate need to fetch 2 kinds of icons:
1. Our software needs to display the system representation of the
"folder" or "directory" icon, as is displayed in Nautilus, Finder, and
Windows Explorer.
2. Our software needs to display the system representation of the icon
for any given file extension.
We have written the appropriate code to integrate this with SWT, and we
wish to contribute it into the SWT code base. We do not know how our
source code best fits in to SWT through the eyes of the powers-that-be;
we even do not know if we are duplicating someone else's efforts.
Specifically, where exactly should the Java code sit? Program.java? A
whole new class? We also understand that, at least in the case of the
aforementioned Bugzilla Bug, APIs are in flux but we require this
functionality today. We see 2 options before us:
A. Contribute our code into the SWT code base. End-users (this means
programmers) benefit from this functionality. The SWT cross-platform
yet native look-and-feel cause is furthered. We most desire this
approach. After learning where we can place our code without stepping
on peoples toes, shall we file an enhancement and attach our patch?
B. Keep the code to ourselves and distribute it with our software
separately.
Please advise us on how to proceed.
Thank you for your time,
Ty C
